Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Lighhouses Gone Solar

While on a lighthouse cruise the lighthouse keeper told us that most lighthouses are now run by solar power and are not maned. Today's technology allows the lighthouse functions to be run remotely.

Was able to take a photo of Thomas Point Lighthouse solar panels;

See the Solar panels?You can enlarge the photo to see them closer.

In the olden days the Keepers used fire/flame to light the search light. Today they can use an LED equivalent to a 100 watt light bulb. With using the solar panels it provide enough electricity to last through the night. Each lighthouse marks the entrance to the inlet waterways. Guiding the ships and boats away from or toward the land.

1 comment:

I love seeing lighthouses and I think that one is beautiful, but there's something sad about using solar panels instead of thinking about the old guy with his lantern. I guess I saw too much tv when I was young and always thought how romantic lighthouses were.

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